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After his team’s wrenching 39-38 loss to Ohio State in Columbus last weekend, Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin lamented what has become a familiar theme — even if it had been buried by convincing wins in recent weeks — as the weeks have passed in the 2017 season. When things don’t go exactly as the Penn State defense plans, it struggles to adjust quickly enough to prevent worst-case scenarios from taking over.

“I don’t think we’ve handled sudden change well this year, defensively,” Franklin said. “That’s an area where we have to get better, and I have to take a hard look at that.”

When he says “sudden change,” Franklin points to the aspects of a game that most teams hope to limit but, realistically, struggle to completely eliminate over the course of a season.

The occasional interception or fumble that leads to an immediate and unexpected possession change. A long punt return that shifts field position. Or, as was the case Saturday, a blocked punt that put momentum firmly on the Buckeyes’ sideline.

Two plays and 39 seconds after Denzel Ward stuffed Blake Gillikin’s boot, Ohio State scored on J.T. Barrett’s 38-yard strike to receiver Johnnie Dixon. It was the first of three touchdowns the Buckeyes scored in the fourth quarter and just the latest fulfillment of Franklin’s big worry.

Penn State has protected the ball so well, and played so consistently on special teams, that the sudden change moments have been rather infrequent this season. But they have occurred with disastrous results for the Nittany Lions.

■ Sept. 23, at Iowa

The Hawkeyes forced two sudden change moments. In the second quarter, linebacker Josey Jewell intercepted a Trace McSorley pass and returned it 33 yards to the Nittany Lions’ 21. Iowa scored a touchdown on the next play to give the Hawkeyes a 7-5 lead.

Later, a McSorley fumble led to a field goal attempt that Iowa kicker Miguel Recinos missed, a huge moment in the Nittany Lions’ 21-19 win.

■ Sept. 30, vs. Indiana

Penn State’s lone turnover led to a Hoosiers touchdown, when Jonathan Crawford’s interception set up an eight-play, 60-yard drive that culminated with Simmie Cobbs Jr.’s 18-yard touchdown reception that trimmed a once-dominant 28-point Penn State lead to 28-14.

■ Oct. 21 vs. Michigan

The Lions led by 14 early, but a David Long interception deep in Wolverines territory led to a seven-play, 56-yard scoring drive and a John O’Korn touchdown pass that got the Wolverines back in the game.

It would be one thing if this were just a sampling of Penn State’s responses to sudden change plays. But they exhaust the examples, and few Nittany Lions players admit they know exactly how to remedy the situation that has allowed touchdowns on four of the five sudden-change situations and a scoring opportunity on the other.

“It’s just momentum,” linebacker Koa Farmer said. “Sudden change is when the other team got some momentum back. That’s tough. As a defense, you have to grit your chin and be tough.”

“Our defense has to get ready to go out and respond to what’s going on,” linebacker Manny Bowen said. “We have to handle that situation. It’s tough when you just got off the field, then they tell you you’re going back. But that’s the way it is. That’s the standard we have to live up to.”

Asked if there is any way the situations could be better prepared for during practices, Franklin said the situations are addressed. He reminds defensive players offenses are going to try to be aggressive, to take advantage of the newfound opportunity. The important thing, he said, is to prevent the big play.

While the coaching staff will spend the week reviewing what types of plays the defense sees and formations it uses in those situations, players continue to insist the key to getting better might lie more in an attitude than in a scheme.

“A lot of times you’re put in bad field positions and you are asked to make a stand. We got to make that stand, simple as that,” linebacker Jason Cabinda said. “It’s really a mentality and mindset.”

Contact the writer:

dcollins@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100, x5368;

@psubst on Twitter

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